| Finesse Forum
|
[
Finesse Forum ] [ FAQ ] |
|
[Previous Message]
|
|
Date: April 23, 2008 at 18:12:55
From: ken, [pool-64-222-33-167.prov.east.verizon.net]
Subject: Answer to a post on steelhead spring fishing 04 23 08 |
|
|
Trout @ Salmon
[ Trout @ Salmon ] [ FAQ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Previous Message]
Date: April 23, 2008 at 17:10:49
From: ken, [pool-64-222-33-167.prov.east.verizon.net]
Subject: Re: Spring steelhead
Fish are close to the bottom so you have to get it down to their eye level as they wouldn't come up as the norm. I do not like sink tips or sinking lines or weighted flies so I used floating lines and split shot. Just enough to tic the bottom. Wet fly swings and editing the drift (casting and presenting the fly in slots) rather than random casting and hoping.
Presentation is 1000% more important than fly choice.
Short casts with lots of swing control. Look for a hesitation of any sort in the swing or a change in the tic from a tic to no tic that - non event - is a fish. Everything is a fish until you prove otherwise. Be trigger happy and strip strike smoothly at anything as a total willful choice.
Keep your tippet 8 lb or less. Lengthen the casts a foot at a time. Look for surface water that is not choppy or heavily broken from rocks as that smoother bottom is where the fish are making their Redd's. Fish edges of current and fish close to obstructions. especially wood or other barriers.
In sunlight fish the white water behind boulders and shade patches.
I did not use strike indicators but fished the old fashioned way. Feel and diligence.
If the water is shallow enough you can get by with a single BB shot or none if the fly will sink. Simple flies. Fish close first and work out one cast at a time and be stealthy.
Do not rip and tear the surface up with casting like the spey guys do.
I used a four weight and my new rod the lightest one and I used a five weight line on both.
Leader length was the same as the rod length. Easier to control that way. I used a small barrel swivel and put the shot on a 4 lb dropper about four inches long with a knot on the end so the shot would not fall off but would come off if it hung.
The tippet was about 3 1/2 feet long as the law says you cannot use a longer tippet than four feet after a split shot.
You can use shorter leaders than four feet which means you can put shot closer to the fly.
You can use a long leader with 1/5 oz jigs and flies, weighted and unweighted - if - there is no added weight on the leader. The length of the leader from any shot or weight attached to the leader to the fly has to be 4' or closer.
Fishing with a weighted fly would be a good approach if you fish a short line and keep tight depth control. Also, you could use a strike indicator with a weighted fly or a bead head and that would make it easier to detect strikes and keep your fly at the right depth, just above the bottom 4" is just right...
That would be the most productive approach for most people.
My flies were simple an inch or less in length and keep those hooks sharp.
Try chartruese and flouresent red and pink and nymphs in normal earthy tones.
The big thing to achieve is depth control.
It is presentation period, do not expect the fish to move to your fly but bring your fly to the fish and you will have a good chance of success.
I do not know if the fresh fish will still be in the rivers next week but I hope they are if you go. I am sure there will be fish there and many of them will be done spawning and I am sure there will be some males waiting for the late arrivals to make an appearance.
View the previous message in this thread
Go to the top of this thread
View entire thread
Posted with TalkShop version 2.71-8
[Previous Message]
|
|
|
|
Posted with TalkShop version
2.71-8 |
[Previous Message]
|
|
|
Follow Ups: |
|
|
[
Finesse Forum ] [ FAQ ] |
|